Turbulence effects on volatilization rates of liquids and solutes

Environmental Science and Technology

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Abstract

Volatilization rates of neat liquids (benzene, toluene, fluorobenzene, bromobenzene, ethylbenzene, m-xylene, o-xylene, o-dichlorobenzene, and 1-methylnaphthalene) and of solutes (phenol, m-cresol, benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, o-xylene, and ethylene dibromide) from dilute water solutions have been measured in the laboratory over a wide range of air speeds and water-stirring rates. The overall transfer coefficients (KL) for individual solutes are independent of whether they are in single- or multi-solute solutions. The gas-film transfer coefficients (kG) for solutes in the two-film model, which have hitherto been estimated by extrapolation from reference coefficients, can now be determined directly from the volatilization rates of neatliquids through anew algorithm. The associated liquid-film transfer coefficients (KL) can then be obtained from measured KL and kG values and solute Henry law constants (H). This approach provides a novel means for checking the precision of any kL and kG estimation methods for ultimate prediction of KL. The improved kG estimation enables accurate K L predictions for low-volatility (i.e., low-H) solutes where K L and kGH are essentially equal. In addition, the prediction of KL values for high-volatility (i.e., high-H) solutes, where KL ??? kL, is also improved by using appropriate reference kL values.